Former First Lady Imelda Marcos. FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Former First Lady Imelda Marcos remains “strong and kicking.”
Imelda’s niece, Eliza Romualdez-Valtos, took to social media on Thursday to end murmurs about the death of the 93-year-old.
“Still strong and kicking,” Romualdez-Valtos said in a now-deleted Facebook post, coupled with a hashtag calling out fake news.
She also shared an old photo of the matriarch with hearts plastered all over.
Imelda’s daughter, Senator Imee Marcos, likewise denied the rumors.
“Last week pa iyan. Ang bad ng nagkalat [That’s been going around since last week. Whoever started the rumor is bad],” she told reporters in a text message.
READ: Mom Imelda is ‘supreme politician in family,’ says Marcos Jr.
“Imelda Marcos” was among the keywords that clinched a spot in the Philippines’ trending roundup on Twitter as talks erupted about her supposed passing.
Imelda, the widow of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and mother of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., is convicted for seven counts of graft by the Sandiganbayan’s Fifth Division.
This was for violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, when she transferred some $200 million to seven Swiss foundations as a member of the defunct Batasang Pambansa, as Metro Manila governor, and as then Minister of Human Settlements.
She was sentenced to imprisonment for six years and one month up to 11 years for each count but has never spent a day in jail.
Then national police chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde explained that authorities considered the age and health of Imelda in deciding their actions on the arrest order.